Pure Happiness, Maui part 3

This one is mostly pictures, I did not keep a written journal during my 3 weeks at 3rd Day Nursery, the experience was always intrinsically rewarding and living life in the present was an utmost priority. It felt good, and to live with all those random wonderful people, it was pure bliss, I will forever have a spot in my heart for Maui. 

Many rainbows in Kula

I spent one more week at the goat farm before finding a spot at 3^rd day nursery. At this point I was well on my way to turning this Hawaii backpacking adventure into a wwoofing adventure, but take life as it comes there’s no reason to shape it and have expectations. Maui gave me a glow of happiness that I still haven’t been able to comeback from, my heart is overflowing with joy and I was re-energized to the capacity of a kid running around barefoot without care in the woods. More on this later as it was evident during my most recent Utah adventure!

The nursery became the ultimate wwoofer experience, 15 people living on 2 acres of land, sharing one community kitchen that had 3 chairs. This would sound horrible to most, but we learned to embrace it, love it, and have new experiences with each other daily. The nursery is off lower Kula road so very close to other neighbors, farms, and a few services. I began running and exploring the neighborhood sometimes alone and others with friends. We would forage for food on the roadside, avocados, loquats, passion fruit and random neighbors giving away extra fruit, advice on where to visit, invitations for bbqs or just chat it up. The community was extremely supportive of wwoofers who were there to help them work the land, thus food was never a problem if you were humble about it. There was more bananas than 15 people could consume before going bad, we were making banana pudding, green banana omelets, and just eating 5-10 bananas a day for snacks, they actually had a taste unlike the dole type on the mainland. Other than bananas on the farm, there was a garden in expansion phase but had some produce including plenty of chayote, which I learned how to add into a lot of dishes. With 15 people it was easy to create large meals that others could try, I love cooking from local ingredients and making up dishes as they go, I could easily do this everyday finding it meditative and very creative. From curry to savory and sweet pancakes to spring rolls, there was something for everybody, a melting pot of cultures.

Succulents - bottom lot

banana trees

Succulents - top lot

Banana trees on border, tea trees before

Delicious avocado

Racks of bananas

Community kitchen

Any given morning I would awake at 6am before most others, and find myself either making coffee or helping myself to the remainder of another early riser, there were 5 of us max. I’d go drink my coffee with a book in the garden, a spot I could relax alone until 8am when people started working or the traffic on nearby rode was distracting. Yoga next, and a snack for breakfast, then off to work on my main project of converting an old green-hoop-house into a living quarters. Turned out to be a fun challenge, we had limited materials, tools, and time, the plan molded together as we went. In the end it turned out great, I can’t wait to go back and stay in it, with the best view the property has to offer!! There would always be an afternoon break during work days, have a large lunch and rest below the banana trees or in the community kitchen talking with others who lived on our farm or other farms nearby, there was always someone to talk to. I very rarely found myself alone at the nursery, and when I did those moments were cherished!

Greenhouse to Living Hut project

We ate this orange one evening it was splendid.

These flowers were the coolest i've ever seen, we had bunch in the community kitchen that were gifted to us.

Best view on the property

Fruit bowl, and those funky flowers

Vog - volcano smog from the big island eruptions

 One more from 3rd Day Nursery

We went to the beach, town, on hikes and runs, to other farms, family dinners, ate some hallucinogens and laughed until we cried uncontrollably! There was dance church, mana foods, the market, road trips to Hana and café attitude and more that becomes all part of one experience..and stands as one of the best times of my life. With a week to go in Maui I made it back to the permaculture farm, 3 of us helped picked the remaining coffee beans then we processed them the same as before and did some other projects while we were there. I came back again in coming days and helped sheetrock an addition to their yurt, it felt good to give back to good people, and get paid on the barter system. My last days went quick, one last trip down Kula highway, into Makawao for a side trip, then the beach, saying goodbye to everyone was bittersweet, would I actually see you again, I sure hope so, especially the two ladies that dropped me off and gave me big hugs, mahalo for the good vibes. I walked the beach for a while watching some kite boarders, collected sea glass and shells, then did one last yoga session before boarding my plane to P-town.

Shells and sea glass

Last hour in Maui